A Promise of Return: PMMM- Mami x Madoka 1
by DanionNeko030
Summary: Mami values Madoka's life over her own, and never wants to see her succumb to a contract. But will putting Madoka in danger to instill fear have its consequences? Or will the love that holds true to Mami for Madoka take hold and alter her decisions?


**A Promise of Return**

Mami dangled a soul gem by its pointed end between her thumb and index, twisting it and observing the colorful light that was reflected before sliding it inside her shirt for safe keeping. She held a hand to her mouth and giggled, squinting cheerfully at Madoka.

"One down, countless to go!"

Madoka smiled in return. "Thank you again for letting me come with you on your witch hunts today. It's not often you get to see a magical girl in the heat of a battle!" she cheered.

"It's no problem for me. It gives me more confidence, not to mention I get to spend more time with my favorite girl."

Madoka felt bashful. She watched as Mami averted her attention to scanning her surroundings. She peered quizzically at her companion. "Where are we going next?"

"I've been told there's another witch about a mile from here. This one should be a rather quick fight, so maybe I'll let you take over a bit. Sound good to you?"

Madoka's eyes lit up as she bounded for Mami, grabbing a hold of her arm and squeezing tight. "Really?! I would love to!"

Mami smiled, ruffling Madoka's pigtails. "Let's get going."

The girls walked side by side across a weathered bridge, individually reflecting beneath the moonlight. Shadows danced beneath their feet and scattered along the cobbled walk. The faint whooshes of the midnight breeze and trickling of the stream below whispered to them, seeming to beckon them into sleep. The comfortable silence ceased to pursue with Madoka's curiosity.

"Do you ever regret becoming a magical girl?"

Mami stopped her steady pace and closed her eyes. Madoka turned to face her, fearing she may have asked too personal of a question. Mami opened her shimmery gold eyes and smiled.

"My only safe haven in being a magical girl is the thought of saving lives. Otherwise, yes, I do have my regrets." She began walking again, and upon reaching Madoka, linked arms with the girl. They strolled side by side through the beautiful night. Madoka felt her cheeks grow warm; she hadn't felt this sensation in a while: security, tranquility, closure. The pure conditions of the dim-lit darkness mixed with the warmth of contact reminded her of home. Mami was the only one who could make her feel so safe.

They walked for a few more blocks before Mami spotted a black, sparkling aura pinned against the brick wall of a city structure. She pointed a dainty finger, directing Madoka's gaze to the spectacle.

"There."

Madoka felt a chill spread throughout her body as fear immediately instilled itself.

"Eh… Mami… maybe we shouldn't do this. I'm not strong enough to defeat a witch, even a small one. I'm no magical girl, especially not one as courageous as you."

Mami let her hand fall and touch Madoka's, intertwining their fingers. Madoka peered down at her shoes to conceal her blush. She felt a slight squeeze from their handhold.

"I want you to fear this, Madoka, only because I hope you never have the desire to make the contract and put yourself in danger. I know you have the bravery and perseverance to withstand this fight, but you should also have the chance to understand how challenging this can truly be."

Madoka peered back up at Mami, feeling hopeful. But Mami still caught the fear in Madoka's pearly pink eyes. She unlocked her hand and loosened the ribbon around her own collar, reaching in her shirt to pull out a soul gem. She offered it to Madoka. Madoka hesitated, looking warily at the glowing gem.

"I-I can't take this from you. It's yours… you earned it!" she struggled to say. Mami took hold of Madoka's hands and wrapped them around the soul gem, encasing the glow that dared to seep through the girls' pale fingers.

"Hold on to this. Whenever you start to feel afraid, squeeze it as tight as you can." Mami encouraged. She hugged Madoka, pinning the gem between them.

The girls approached the black aura, Madoka wrapped around Mami's arm in a fit of paranoia, as the clouded orb surrounded and encased them in darkness.

All was still for a few moments before a bright light was cast upon the young ladies from above. Seconds later, another illuminated from behind them. Then a third from below. A fourth from the left, soon one from the right, and eventually every spot of darkness was eliminated from view. Madoka quivered as she clung to the statuesque Mami, who stood unwavering in the spotlights, one hand on the gun underneath her skirt. Suddenly, the surface the girls stood on began to raise. Madoka yelped in spite of herself. Their surroundings began to change as little toy soldiers made of paper maché danced around them and pink hands of goo lowered from the ceiling to dangle above their heads. Crows ducked in and out of sight, slowing in mid-flight to tug beakfuls of the girl's hair.

Mami raised her gun and shot at a crow, who fell to her feet in a puddle of purple blood. She shot a glance at Madoka's hand, which was white at the knuckles and shaking from gripping the soul gem. Perhaps Madoka wasn't ready to fight…

The purple blood began to coagulate, growing taller and increasing in size, clumping and heaping to form appendage-like globs. Mami outstretched her arm to push Madoka back as the creature towered over them. A yellow sack of puss emerged from the human-like glob to form one eye, which swiveled lazily from side to side to eye the girls. An eery, childish chuckle boomed from all directions.

Mami, what is that thing?!" Madoka cried. But Mami rendered speechless, unable to conquer the sheer size of their newfound enemy.

"It's… the witch," she uttered through shallow breaths.

The witch towered menacingly over the girls' heads, enveloping them in shadow. With one swift movement, she dove at Mami. Mami threw herself at Madoka, pushing her out of harms way. The witch took a hold of Mami's ankles with two rope-like, purple appendages, dragging her backwards.

"Mami!" Madoka cried as she scrambled to grab Mami's hands, but to no prevail.

Mami twisted and contorted in the grasp of the monster, who began thrashing her wildly about like a lifeless doll. She threw her spare gun at Madoka, who fumbled to catch it with trembling hands.

"I-I've never shot someone before!" Madoka grasped the gun and pointed it warily at the witch, the tip of the aim assist wavering back and forth.

"Shoot the eye!" Mami commanded as she revealed a second gun from thin air with the wave of a hand and shot the purple ropes repeatedly. She fell to the ground with a loud thump, letting out a cry of pain. Madoka began to rush to her aid as the witch loomed closer.

Mami pointed frantically to the approaching threat. "Don't worry about me. We need to kill her now; she's much stronger than I predicted!"

Mami got to her feet, limping slightly towards the witch. Arms outstretched, she circled them around her body, creating an army of artillery. With the snap of her fingers, the lineup of guns began rapidly firing at the witch. She reacted with shrieks of pain, violently whipping hundreds of protruding purple ropes in all directions. The crows flying overhead spiraled downwards. Madoka curled in a ball, her hands covering her head, on the edge of the abyss. Mami bounded around the creature, slipping in and out of thrashing ropes, firing at the witch's face with another handheld gun as the army of weapons continued firing alongside her.

"Madoka! The eye!"

Madoka unraveled from her balled state and stood, pointing the gun once more. She could barely see the face of her enemy with all the flailing appendages and flying purple goo. She aimed and shot at the commotion, but heard no bullet impact.

More and more ropes entangled Mami's surroundings, proving more difficult to dodge. She lept further into the air, only to feel a hot sting slash across her torso, thrashing her to the ground in a painful heap. Madoka screamed in horror and ran towards her fallen companion. Blood gushed from this new wound and pooled onto the white floor. Another laugh echoed in the girl's ears from the witch. Mami felt hot and dizzy, the toy soldiers danced tauntingly around her as she felt herself losing consciousness. The guns occupying the witch began to disappear one by one as Mami began to lose her grip.

Madoka felt warm tears daring to stream down her cheeks. With a surge of determination, she stood to face the witch. The band of guns had disappeared, the only weapon remaining was the gun within Madoka's hands. She pointed the gun directly at the witch, who began to worm and slither its grotesque mass of a body towards the shivering girl, its eye fixated on her. She winced as she pulled the trigger, bullets shooting at incredible speed at the witch's face. To Madoka's relieve, she heard a squish of impact. Splashes of smelly yellow goo erupted from the eye and rained over the entire abyss. Steam shot from the opening as the witch shrieked and deflated to the floor. Their distorted surroundings gave way, collapsing into the witch within a bright light, which dissipated to reveal a single soul gem lying in the middle of the street.

Madoka hastily crawled over to Mami's seemingly lifeless body, clutching desperately onto the puffed sleeves of her tiny shoulders. Her breathing was minimal, almost nonexistent.

"Mami! It's over, please, say something! I don't know what to do. You have to tell me what to do! Please!" Madoka felt goosebumps up and down her arms as a wave of sorrow overcame her. Tears rolled down her face and dripped onto Mami's clothes. Her head bowed to touch her forehead to Mami's chest. She felt the girl's chest rise as Mami let out a bubbled cough, blood trickling from the corners of her mouth as she tried to speak.

"K-Kyubey… take me…" she inhaled sharply. "... to Kyubey…"

Madoka lifted her head, holding Mami's hand to her chest as she listened in desperation. She hastened to lift Mami to her feet, when she was stopped by a tug on the arm.

"Wait…" Mami whispered, almost inaudibly. Madoka sat with her legs crossed, allowing

Mami to lie her head on Madoka's lap.

"I just want to…" she reached up to touch Madoka's cheek. "... look at you for a little while longer. I want you to be… the last thing I see before… I sleep."

Madoka shook her head, urging Mami to get up by slightly lifting her knees.

"Please, we need to get to Kyubey. You're bleeding…" Madoka let out a sob, shutting her eyes tight as tears streaked down her cheeks to meet Mami's fingers. "So much…"

Mami smiled warily.

"You're so brave, Madoka. I'm so proud of you." She spoke in low, cool, unwavering tones.

Mami used her outstretched hand to guide Madoka's face closer to her own. Pink hair illuminated by the moon framed her face. Her moist eyelashes tickled Mami's pale cheeks. Madoka had a glazed look in her eyes, frozen in place by Mami's golden gaze. She slowly circled around to hover her lips millimeters from Mami's.

"Please don't leave me…" Madoka whispered against Mami's lips.

"I'll always be with you," Mami hushed, squeezing Madoka's bloody hand that still held on to the soul gem as she raised her head slightly to meet Madoka's lips.

The girls shared their mutual love under the stars as the breeze entangled their hair, the faint smell of roses enticed their gentle kiss. The hint of strawberries and tangents of cooled blood still stained Madoka's lips as Mami retreated slowly from their kiss and into unconsciousness.


End file.
